In recent years, it has become common practice to employ corrugated cartons for the multi-packing of relatively large containers of soft drinks, juices, household chemicals and the like. In contrast to returnable beverage bottles, the containers now employed are the so-called "one-way" or single trip containers, and it necessarily follows that there is no requirement that the cartons in which such containers are carried by the consumer from the supermarket to his home be capable of repeated usage. Economics therefore dictate that such cartons be made with as little corrugated board incorporated in their construction as is possible.
At the same time, such cartons, when filled, are relatively heavy and difficult for the average consumer, and particularly women and elderly consumers, to conveniently lift and transport. It is therefore desirable to provide hand holes in each of two opposed side walls of the corrugated container. When such side walls are fabricated from relatively light weight board, consistent with the limited strength and life requirements of the carton, the tearing of such hand holes often results. This is particularly true due to the habit of many consumers of inserting only one hand in one of the hand holes and supporting the entire weight of the container by such hand hole.
There is, therefore, a definite need for a light weight corrugated carton having improved hand holes which will effectively resist tearing of the side walls of the container when the entire weight of the container and contents is suspended from a single hand hole.